Role-play: Modern version of Romeo and Juliet.
a. The following text is an extract from the play Romeo and Juliet.
Work in groups.
Is the title of the play familiar to you?
Have you read the book?
Have you seen the performance?
Do you know if there is a film version?
Try to remember the plot of the story (the teacher will help you).
b. Work in groups. Each one plays the role of one of the characters in this scene
(Romeo, Juliet, Lord and Lady Capulet…) Read the text aloud trying to sound as the situation requires (angry, happy, concerned, nervous…).
c. The scene shows the moment when Romeo meets Juliet.
Take the dialogue as a model and try to make a modern version. Imagine you go to a party with a friend and want to meet a girl/ boy that is dancing with two other boys who don’t look like very friendly. You think that it’s not a good idea to introduce yourself but your friend convinces you. Finally you decide to talk to her/him. Imagine the conversation, first with your friend and then with the other young.
Suggestions for the dialogue:
– convince your friend that the boy/girl maybe wants to go with you to a concert the following weekend.
– ask how often he/she goes there
– ask him/her the type of music she likes.
– try to make an appointment
d. Represent your role-play in front of the classroom.
Romeo and Juliet
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
ACT 1 SCENE 4
Romeo meets Juliet.
The Capulets’ house. The party has started, and there is
music, singing and dancing.
Lord and Lady Capulet, Juliet, Tybalt, Paris, the Nurse,
servants, musicians and others are at the party.
LORD CAPULET. Enjoy yourselves, my friends! Everybody
is going to dance tonight. More light!
More drinks! Musicians – play louder!
We’re going to have a wonderful party!
(Romeo, Benvolio and Mercurio enter).
(They are wearing masks)
LADY CAPULET. Who are those men who’ve just come in?
I can’t see their faces, because they are wearing masks.
LORD CAPULET. I don’t know who they are. It doesn’t matter. They look friendly.
Give me another drink! What a wonderful party! Oh, why can’t I be young again? Shall we dance?
LADY CAPULET. Dance? Don’t be stupid, Capulet. You’re too old! You haven’t
danced for twenty years. Come and sit down for a while.
(They sit down).
MERCUTIO. Don’t you want to dance, Romeo?
ROMEO. No, I don’t, Mercutio. You can dance if you want. I’ll wait here.
Benvolio and Mercutio leace, and start dancing.
ROMEO. (He sees Juliet, who is dancing with Paris.) What a beautiful girl!
Who is she? I must meet her! When she stops dancing, I’ll talk to her.
TYBALT. Uncle Capulet! That man is a Montague!
LORD CAPULET. Which man?
TYBALT. The man who came in a few minutes ago. Over there – the man who’s
wearing a mask. I know his voice. His name is Romeo, and he’s a
Montague. I’m going to talk to kill him!
LORD CAPULET. No, Tybalt! The Capulets and the Montagues must not fight any more.
The Prince of Verona told us to stop fighting. Don’t you remember?
Romeo is a good man, and you mustn’t hurt him. Do you understand?
TYBALT. All right, uncle. But, I’m very angry. He was wrong to come here.
( He leaves.)
ROMEO. (To Juliet.) I don’t know your name. I saw you just a few minutes ago. I
want to talk to you, but I don’t know what to say.
JULIET. You don’t have to say anything.
ROMEO. I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you. Can I hold your hand?
JULIET. But I don’t know you! (laughing). Yes, of course you can hold my hand.
ROMEO. (He holds her hand.) If our hands can touch, our lips can touch too.
(He kisses her.) The nurse enters.
NURSE. Juliet! Where are you? Oh, there you are. Your mother wants you.
Come with me, my dear.
ROMEO. (To the nurse). Who is her mother?
NURSE. Her mother is the lady of the house, and married to Lord Capulet.
ROMEO. This is terrible! Lord Capulet is my father’s enemy. I love Juliet, but
we can never meet again!
JULIET. (Watching Romeo leave). Nurse, what’s that young man’s name?
Over there, the one who’s leaving. If he has a wife, I’ll die unmarried.
NURSE. His name is Romeo, and he’s a Montague, the only son of your family’s
Great enemy.
JULIET. My only love, a hated Montague!
NURSE. What was that? Come, Juliet. Your mother is waiting.
Adapted version
Oxford Bookworms Playscripts
SESSION 5/6
· FINAL TASK.
WRITING A “LONELY HEART” ADVERTISEMENT.
LONELY HEARTS
The material necessary to carry out the final task will be:
– a collection of pictures of men and women that students bring from their homes.
– one copy of the “Lonely Hearts” advertisements for each pair of students.
a) Students are given out the advertisements of people looking for new friends or relationships. They read the advertisements and are asked to search information, e.g:
Write down the box numbers of the following:
– someone who wants a French-speaking girl
– someone who wants a person to eat, drink and make music
– someone who loves animals
– someone who wants someone to look for him .
b) Students work in pairs. They are given a picture of a man or a woman and they decide the following points:
– who is the person? ( give a name) – what is his/her job?
– How old is he/she? – what are his/her interests?
– What kind of house does he/she live in? – three things he/she likes
– Three adjectives to describe his/her character. – three things he/she dislikes
c) When they have done this, they write a “Lonely Heart” advertisement for that person.
d) The pictures are pinned on the wall and the students’ advertisements collected and redistributed by the teacher. Students walk around looking at the pictures until they find the character they think wrote the advertisement.
a) Finally, they justify their choice all the students choose the most interesting advertisement. ( Oral activity)
Extra task. This task is optional
Choose one of the advertisements and write a letter in reply.
LONELY HEARTS
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